EU Commissioners Jessika Roswall and Costas Kadis, at the Baltic Sea Conference in Stockholm, said an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management is essential for the future of the Baltic.
Photo: European Commission
The future of the Baltic Sea is under renewed debate following last week’s Our Baltic Ministerial Conference in Stockholm, where EU officials, ministers and industry representatives urged stronger collective efforts to tackle the region’s ongoing environmental and fisheries crisis.
The conference, hosted by European Commissioners Costas Kadis and Jessika Roswall, followed an earlier high-level meeting on Baltic fisheries management organised by the EC and the scientific body ICES in September, and brought together ministers for agriculture, environment and fisheries from EU Baltic countries, along with members of the European Parliament and regional stakeholders.
Discussions focused on the combined pressures of climate change, eutrophication, habitat loss, pollution, and misreporting that may contribute to overfishing. The European Commission contends that these factors are driving a steady decline in the health of the Baltic, widely regarded as Europe’s most polluted sea.
The Commission said it remains determined to lead the recovery effort, stressing the need for coordinated action to protect both the environment and the livelihoods of coastal communities - with 85 million people living around the Baltic basin. Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis said the conference "has reaffirmed our commitment to the Baltic Sea".
"We are not willing to gamble with the future of our fishers or our ecosystems. An ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management is essential for accelerating recovery and ensuring long-term sustainability," Kadis stated.
The Commission argued that implementing existing legislation on fisheries control measures is essential to prevent misreporting and ensure accurate catch data. It also called for greater financial and human resources for scientific institutions to provide the evidence needed to guide policymaking.
Key outcomes from the conference included commitments to revise the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, implement the Nature Restoration Regulation to regenerate marine habitats, and take forward initiatives under the Water Resilience Strategy and the European Ocean Pact. The discussions also reaffirmed the importance of regional cooperation through the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), which coordinates efforts across the Baltic basin.
Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience, and a Competitive Circular Economy Jessika Roswall said: “The environmental, economic, and security challenges facing the Baltic Sea are interconnected. Addressing them together is vital to the EU’s strategic autonomy and resilience. We have the tools to tackle these challenges, and now, we need to implement them.”
Meanwhile, fishing industry representatives have echoed the call for urgent, coordinated action, but warned that progress will require a binding plan with concrete measures. Europêche, which represents European fishing organisations, urged the Commission, EU member states and the European Parliament to agree on a legally enforceable recovery strategy.
“There is no need for more conferences or promises. What we urgently need is a binding action plan to address the multiple factors that have shocked the marine environment in the Baltic Sea,” said Kenn Skau Fischer, CEO of the Danish Fishers PO, in a press statement.
The organisation argues that the Baltic crisis cannot be resolved by individual countries acting alone. It points to nutrient emissions, pollution, offshore energy development, climate change, and rising populations of predators as causes of what it calls a “fundamental ecosystem regime shift” that continues to block the recovery of fish stocks despite strict fishing limits.
“One country cannot shoulder this challenge on its own. All parties must pull together. We call on ministers to stand ready, work constructively with the Commission and find workable solutions for the future of the Baltic and our fishers,” Fischer said.
According to the group, climate-related impacts demand long-term action, pollution and nutrient runoff require medium-term solutions, and excessive predation could be tackled in the short term.
Europêche also expressed concern that fishers were underrepresented in discussions at the Stockholm conference. “It is regrettable that those who know the Baltic best – the fishers – were not given broader representation at the discussion panels to contribute their views. Without their presence and involvement, there is a real risk this becomes yet another academic exercise,” said Daniel Voces, Managing Director of Europêche.
The association said it would continue to engage with EU officials and confirmed representatives met with Commissioner Kadis on 3 October to discuss the Baltic’s future.
The Our Baltic initiative began in 2020 with a ministerial declaration pledging stronger cooperation on overfishing and pollution. A second conference in 2023 focused on the safe clearance of submerged munitions, backed by €2 million in EU funding. This year’s meeting marked the first initiative under the Ocean Pact to address fisheries.
The European Commission recently proposed sharp reductions in fishing opportunities for Baltic Sea stocks in 2026, reflecting what it called the "dire situation" of these fish populations.